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PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MURRAY’S REPORT:

Talbot got back to winning ways with a hard fought win over Meadow to close the gap on league leaders Pollok.

So far this season Talbot have been slow starters against Meadow but that wasn’t the case this time round and Talbot signalled their intent when they won a free kick out wide of the area in the 2^nd minute. Healy swept over a tremendous ball to the back post which only required a touch but no one had gambled & it sped behind for the goal kick.

The opening goal came in the 9^th minute when Talbot swiftly turned defence into attack. Boyd played the ball out from the back to find Graham Wilson in the centre & he quickly switched it to the left to find BRYAN BOYLAN racing in on goal & he drilled a left foot shot past Waters to put Talbot 1-0 ahead.

The Bot threatened again in the 14^th minute when McCracken’s diagonal pas found Boylan on the wing. He cut inside & whipped over a cross that Samson just failed to connect with. The ball ran on through and Graham Wilson was in space at the back post but the Meadow defence just managed to cut it out.

With quarter of an hour gone Samson tried his luck but from a tight angle he arrowed his shot over the bar.

Talbot’s pressure paid off in the 18^th minute when they doubled their advantage. Whyte conceded a cheap corner down the right and when Healy’s corner came over Waters came for it but didn’t claim it. The ball was headed goal wards and looked to have crossed the line before being hooked clear. Talbot appealed for the goal but it wasn’t given. The Bot kept the pressure on though and when the ball was crossed in from the right Hyslop flicked it into the path of GRAHAM WILSON who steered a shot past Winters and inside his right hand post.

Meadow now pushed forward looking for a way back into the match and Willett gave the Bot defence a nervous moment when he angled a dangerous ball over from the left but no one anticipated it & the ball sped across the 6-yard box and behind for the goal kick.

In the 28^th minute Meadow won a corner down the left which Wardrope swung into the back post where McPherson rose to head it to safety.

The game was swinging from end to end but without any end product in the final third. Talbot did stretch the Meadow defence in the 38^th minute when Stafford swung over a good cross from the right. The defence headed clear but only as far as Graham Wilson who slipped it left to Boylan but his shot was blocked by a defender.

Talbot ended the half strongly and had a promising break in the 43^rd minute when Samson won the ball midway inside the Meadow half. He released it to Graham Wilson who burst into the penalty area but couldn’t get his shot away & when he tried to square it inside to Boylan the defence intercepted.

In the closing seconds of the half Talbot won a free kick in a good area when Graham Wilson had his heels clipped just wide of the penalty area but Healy’s delivery hit the wall and the ref blew for half-time.

Meadow made a change at the start of the 2^nd half with Martin coming on in place of McKie and the visitors started the 2^nd half brightly carving out a half chance in the opening minute. A ball from the left flew across the area where C Boyd met it but he was at full stretch and could only send it well wide of Leishman’s left post.

In the 49^th minute G Boyd was cautioned for dissent after Meadow were penalised for an aerial challenge on Samson and he was joined in the ref’s book 3 minutes later by Craig McCracken when he conceded a free kick 30 yards out. Meadow swept the ball over but it was far too near Leishman who gathered easily.

Wardrope then had an effort from distance but he scooped his shot well over the crossbar.

In the 62^nd minute Talbot looked to break through Boylan who looked to be impeded. The ref didn’t give it though and Boylan ended up in the ref’s notebook for his complaints over the decision.

The visitors now made a double switch with 2 ex Bot players coming on – Lyle replacing Faulds & Milliken on for G Boyd.

In the 64^th min a quickly taken shy found Boylan in space on the left & he lobbed a cross over to the back post which McLennan had to head over his own bar.

Talbot made their 1^st change in the 67^th minute with Glasgow coming on for Boylan.

It was game on again in the 70^th minute when Meadow scored a quality goal to reduce the deficit. McLennan squared the ball to WARDROPE on the left of the penalty area and he gave Leishman no chance as he bent a shot inside the left hand post from 16 yards to make it 2-1.

Lyle now had his name taken for dissent.

Meadow won a free kick within striking distance in the 73^rd minute when Talbot were penalised for handball. McLennan took it and got it up and over the wall but it went straight at Leishman.

At the other end Talbot had a chance when Glasgow raced forward and ran for the box. He was challenged but the ball broke loose to Graham Wilson who sliced a shot well wide from the edge of the area.

Talbot now made a further change with Robbie McCracken coming on for Boyd.

Nerves were showing and Talbot conceded a needless shy in the 78^th minute when Stafford sliced a clearance out with Leishman waiting to claim it. The shy was taken short and when the cross came over from the right Milliken had a chance to level. He took it on his chest but McPherson got across quickly to make the tackle and put it behind for the corner.

From the resultant corner Talbot raced onto the counter through Graham Wilson who sped up field before releasing it to his right to find Glasgow but his shot was deflected wide..

With 10 minutes remaining Talbot forced a couple of corners in quick succession from the 2^nd of which Craig McCracken headed over the bar.

In the 83^rd minute Talbot won a free kick 22 yards out when Slooves bundled Hyslop over in a clumsy aerial challenge. Graham Wilson took it and his shot clipped the wall & sped behind for the corner. Glasgow’s corner caused the defence problems, coming off a Meadow head at the near post and angling across the face of goal and beyond the back post for another corner.

Five minutes from time Talbot fans had a scare when Healy hit a poor pass out of defence which was easily intercepted. It was clipped over the defence to find Martin on the right edge of the penalty area but nothing came of it.

Two minutes from time Talbot nearly grabbed a 3^rd that would have put the game beyond doubt. Aiden Wilson’s cross from the left was deflected high into the air off Lyle. It came to a Meadow defender who passed the ball straight to Graham Wilson and his fierce drive from 16 yards was tipped over the bar by the keeper.

Talbot saw out the remainder of the match with no alarms to secure the win and a vital 3 points.

A good win for Talbot who wobbled briefly when Meadow pulled on back but rallied to finish strongly. Next up for Talbot it’s a groundhog day fixture as they travel through to Irvine to face Meadow for the 5^th time this season – this time in the South Challenge cup.